An allergic reaction is something that is not permanent, is just you need to be more careful from the things, places and foods etc, that lead to the symptoms of allergies.
The allergic reaction is nothing but a response of our immune system to a foreign substance. In most of the cases, an allergic reaction is not harmful to our system. The foreign substances that lead to allergic reaction are known as allergens like some foods, dander, pet or pollen.
Our immune system is designed to work as a shield to any harmful or dangerous pathogens to keep us healthy and protected. If you have allergies, you might face common symptoms of allergies like sneezing and inflammation, including some other symptoms based on the allergen.
Our immune system is designed in a way that its adapts to the environment like a pet at home. In the starting, you might feel allergic, but after a while, your body will understand that pet dander are not harmful. If you feel an allergic reaction to pet dander that means your body identifies pet dander as an outsider invader threatening to the body and that is why your immune attacks it.
Symptoms of Allergies:
The symptoms of allergies depend upon how the allergen, the type of your allergy and how severe your symptoms are, and several other factors.
Food allergies: If you have allergies from certain food this may lead to an allergic reaction like fatigue, swelling, nausea and hives, etc. If you suffer from a severe allergic reaction after consuming certain foods and you do not know why this is happening then it is better to consult a doctor immediately.
This will help you understand the cause behind your allergic reaction once you go under allergy testing.
Seasonal allergies: People who face allergic reaction because of seasonal allergies may face similar allergic symptoms to a cold like runny nose, swollen eyes and congestion. In most of the cases, you can easily manage these symptoms of allergies, but in case your symptoms are severe then, you should consult a doctor.
What happens during the severe symptoms of allergies?
Some severe allergic reactions may lead to anaphylaxis. This is a life-threatening condition in which the person faces lightheadedness, difficulty while breathing and loss of consciousness.
No matter what, if you experience such severe symptoms due to an allergen, then you should consult a doctor immediately.
Allergic reaction on skin:
Skin allergies mainly happen due to direct exposure to an allergen. When this happens, you will experience an allergic reaction to the skin.
Skin allergy can trigger after having food allergic to you, this may lead to various symptoms of allergies like a rash or tingling in your throat and mouth. In some cases, the symptoms of allergies may trigger even if you touch something allergic to you like a product or plant.
8 Types of Allergies You Must Know:
- Contact dermatitis: This includes symptoms of allergies like red and itchy patches of skin that occur right after contact with something allergic to you.
- Rashes: This type of allergic reaction leads to symptoms like the area of skin that become swollen, painful, irritated, red, and itchy.
- Hives: This allergic reaction leads to symptoms like shapes on the surface of the skin, red and itchy skin areas, raised welts of different sizes.
- Swollen eyes: In this type of allergic reaction your eyes become swelled, watery and puffy.
- Eczema: This includes symptoms of allergies like patches of skin that cause bleeding, inflammation, and itchiness.
- Sore throat: This happens when your throat or pharynx becomes inflamed and irritated.
- Burning: This is an allergic reaction that may lead to stinging sensation, inflammation and discomfort on the skin.
One of the common skin allergies people experience is rashes.
What are the causes of allergies?
As per researches, they are not sure why our immune system causes an allergic reaction, even if the alien substance is not harmful or dangerous for our system.
An allergic reaction can be connected to the family history, which means if your parents had a history of allergies, the chances of you being allergic are high.
However, there some specific allergens like shellfish that are not passed down from parents to their children.
7 common types of allergens:
- Insect stings: This includes mosquitoes, bees, and wasps.
- Animal products: This type of allergens includes dust mite waste, pet dander and cockroaches.
- Foods: This type of allergens includes eggs, nuts, wheat, shellfish and milk.
- Drugs: Drugs like sulfa and penicillin can trigger allergic reactions.
- Plants: This type of allergens includes weeds, pollens, trees, grass, resin from plants like poison oak and poison ivy.
- Mold: The airborne spores from mold can lead to allergic reactions.
Some other common allergens are condoms, metals (nickel) and latex gloves. These things can also lead to symptoms of allergies.